KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin
Hussein says he will meet his Australian counterpart next week to discuss
China’s military build-up in the disputed South China Sea and hold talks with
fellow claimants, the Philippines and Vietnam.

China claims most of the energy-rich waters through
which about $6.6 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbours
Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.

Beijing is feeling public pressure at home to show it
can protect its claims to the waters after the United States began conducting
“freedom of navigation” operations near islands where China has been
carrying out controversial reclamation work and stationing advanced weapons.

Hishammuddin said he would meed Australian Defence
Minister Marise Payne to ensure efforts are made to “hold China to their
promise of not placing military assets in the area”.

“If the reports we’ve received from various sources
regarding the buildup and placement of military assets in the Spratlys are true
– this forces us in a pushback against China,” Hishammuddin told
reporters.

In September, Chinese President Xi Jinping said China
had no intention to militarize its outposts in the Spratly islands.

United States Senate Armed Services Committee chair
James Clapper said in a letter in February that China’s land reclamation and
construction work on the islands had established infrastructure needed “to
project military capabilities in the South China Sea beyond that which is
required for point defence of its outposts”.

The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) said last month it was “seriously concerned” over
developments in the disputed waters, which includes recent missile and fighter
jet deployments by China in the Paracel island chain.

Hishammuddin said he would also meet with authorities in
Vietnam and the Philippines as, if reports on China’s military expansion were
true, Malaysia “cannot act alone in stopping the aggressive actions”.

“We need the support of other ASEAN countries, and
I will continue to (seek that support),” Hishammuddin said. “This is
important for us to maintain balance, and to curb the actions by superpowers,
whether it is China or the United States.”

– Reuters